Barre chord finger pain

GeoNjules · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:41 pm Post subject: Barre chord finger pain

I've been trying to do some barre chords. Problem is I can't practice very long, maybe a minute or two. The fleshy part of my index finger (closest to the hand) hurts like h***. It is VERY tender and seems like I'm not even coming close to holding the strings down.
Will this area callouse up after awhile like my fingertips? Any suggestions?
I read to maybe start with partials (3 or 4 notes) and work your way up to full chords. Can anyone post the partial fingerings for me?
Thanks.

acoustica1 · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject:

Hello
Don't worry and don't give up!!
Nobody can practise barre chords very long at the beginning.

Take a look at those 2 pages :
http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/lessons/LESSONS,6943,LESSONSANDSONGS-1.asp

youngwasp · Got Rhythm Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 71

[quote="GeoNjules"]I've been trying to do some barre chords. Problem is I can't practice very long, maybe a minute or two. The fleshy part of my index finger (closest to the hand) hurts like h***. It is VERY tender and seems like I'm not even coming close to holding the strings down.
Will this area callouse up after awhile like my fingertips? Any suggestions?
I read to maybe start with partials (3 or 4 notes) and work your way up to full chords. Can anyone post the partial fingerings for me?
Thanks.[/quote]

Partial fingerings cannot replace slapping your index finger down across all the strings to create a 'new nut', in other words, there are no shortcuts to barre chords. Whilst chord fragments might increase the range of your chord vocabulary, they will not in any way make barre chords easier to learn either in terms of technique or the 'physical torture'.

It also depends a great deal on the type of guitar you are using, barre chords on an acoustic are certainly more difficult than on an electric guitar. That said, different models of electric guitar will make the process easier than others, not to mention the gauge of strings you have fitted.

No, the side of your index finger will not callouse up in the same way as your fingertips have/will. If you do a lot of rhythm work, the index will become far less painful, but even after many years of playing, a long session of barre chords can still take its toll. There again, if you daily did hours of barre chords for months at a time, it is possible that your index finger would develop a much tougher exterior to compensate.

One word of advice - most beginners tend to think that barre chords need a lot of index finger pressure, when in fact this tends not to the case. Positioning needs to watched also - be sure to place the finger almost on top of the fret and not between two, press firmly, but not so that it hurts.

Barre chords are not easy, but will very quickly become easier and in a month or two, you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

GeoNjules · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 3:57 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the tips, all.
Action is fine. Gonna work on that finger pressure, placement, and conditioning.

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